The "gospel" is "good news."
1 Chronicles 16:23 Sing to the LORD, all the earth; Proclaim the good news
of His salvation from day to day.
Psalm 40:9 I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness In the
great assembly; Indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O LORD, You Yourself know.
Psalm 96:2 Sing to the LORD, bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His
salvation from day to day.
Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good
news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"
> and the gospel is not a
> new law which demands faith in faith. Faith in the true gospel is a
> result of the elect being "in" Christ when He died. Faith is not a
> condition of getting into Christ. Faith that faith gets you into
> Christ is faith in a false gospel. Such faith turns faith into a work,
> and turns the gospel into a law.
So it would be wrong to say that the "gospel" must be "obeyed?"
Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel.
For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed our report?"
2 Thessalonians 1:8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and
on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 4:17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it
begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
> I am not sure if Fuller believes in
Arminianism or particular
> redemption. But even if he believes in particular redemption, he does
> not think the death of Christ is all the gospel. He thinks the faithful
> lawkeeping of the elect (enabled by sovereign grace) is also the gospel,
> because he thinks the law is also the gospel: There is for him no
> antithesis. I quote from p115: "one learns to live like Jesus
> and receive a continuous stream of blessings simply by faith, that is,
> by an obedience which keeps him in the place where he can always benefit
> from the Workman's skill."
>
> Fuller's gospel is not exactly "Christ and him crucified". It is a
> gospel of glory, the glory of what God will do in us IF we keep
> ourselves in position where He can bless us. Every blessing comes in
> Christ but not only because of the cross.
Ultimately it IS because of the cross.
God gives His elect the grace to do good works because of the Cross.
2 Chronicles 30:12 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to do the
commandment of the king and of the princes, by the word of the LORD.
Isaiah 26:12 LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us: for thou also hast wrought all our
works in us.
Jeremiah 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of
Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and
write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of
ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
Hebrews 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that
which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and
ever. Amen.
James 1:16-18 Do not err, my beloved brethren. {17} Every good gift and every perfect
gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no
variableness, neither shadow of turning. {18} Of his own will begat he us with the word of
truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
1 Kings 8:58 That He may incline our hearts unto Him, to walk in all His ways, and to
keep His commandments, and His statutes, and His judgments, which He commanded our
fathers.
1 Chronicles 29:14-18 But who am I, and who are my people, That we should be able to
offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, And of Your own we have given
You. {15} For we are aliens and pilgrims before You, As were all our fathers; Our days on
earth are as a shadow, And without hope. {16} "O LORD our God, all this abundance
that we have prepared to build You a house for Your holy name is from Your hand, and is
all Your own. {17} "I know also, my God, that You test the heart and have pleasure in
uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered all these
things; and now with joy I have seen Your people, who are present here to offer willingly
to You. {18} "O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep this
forever in the intent of the thoughts of the heart of Your people, and fix their heart
toward You.
Ezra 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by
the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of
Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in
writing, saying,
Ezra 1:5 Then the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests
and the Levites, with all whose spirits God had moved, arose to go up and build the house
of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.
Ezra 7:27 Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in
the king's heart, to beautify the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem,
Psalm 110:3 Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power; In the beauties
of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth.
Psalm 119:36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies, And not to covetousness.
Psalm 141:4 Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice wicked works With men who work iniquity;
And do not let me eat of their delicacies.
Proverbs 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He
turns it wherever He wishes.
John 6:45 "It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.'
Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.
John 6:65 And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me
unless it has been granted to him by My Father."
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to
His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead,
> This language does not make
> Fuller an Arminian: he says that it's grace that causes us to faithfully
> lawkeep. He could even say, I think, that Christ died only for the
> elect, and that only the elect can add to that death faithful
> lawkeeping. But by denying the antithesis between the law and the
> gospel,
. . . an antithesis which has yet to be demonstrated . . .
> Fuller makes OUR "active
obedience" to be a supplement to the
> death of Christ.
How about "the fruit of the death of Christ" rather
than "supplement" ?
Colossians 1:5-6 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard
before in the word of the truth of the gospel; {6} Which is come unto you, as it is in all
the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it,
and knew the grace of God in truth:
Phil 4:17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your
account.
Ephesians 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and
truth;)
Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your
fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
John 15:2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every
branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. {4} "Abide in Me, and
I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither
can you, unless you abide in Me. {5} "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who
abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. {8}
"By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My
disciples. {16} "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you
should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the
Father in My name He may give you.
The Jews were cut off because they did not bear fruit, not because they followed the
Law.
Luke 3:9 And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore
which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
>
> At this point, I want to spend some time with Fuller's exegesis of Gal
> 3:12. and its quotation of Leviticus 18:5: "he who does them shall live
> by them". Fuller agrees with the Judiasing teachers
> that the law is the gospel, and thinks that Leviticus 18 assumes
> God-given ability to keep the law (of course not perfectly, and not
> meritoriously).
i.e., not meriting salvation or justification.
> So Fuller has trouble understanding
why Paul
> would even use Lev 18:5. My suggestion is that Paul used Leviticus
> 18:5 because Paul knew that people like Fuller and the Teachers would
> have used it, if he didn't. I think Paul
> understands Lev 18 as saying that law in effect promises death not
> life.: Fuller of course denies this.
So does Calvin:
The prophet evidently describes a proud confidence in the flesh as contrasted with true
faith. By Faith he evidently means the exercise of a calm steady conscience, relying on
God alone
The law evidently is not contrary to faith; otherwise God would be unlike Himself.
Paul's language is modified by the present aspect of the case. The contradiction between
the law and faith lies in the matter of justification. And yet it does not follow from
this, that faith is inactive, or that it sets believers free from good works. For the
present question is not, whether believers ought to keep the law as far as they can,
(which is beyond all doubt,) but whether they can obtain righteousness by works, which is
impossible. But since God promises life to the doers of the law, why does Paul affirm that
they are not righteous? The reply to this objection is easy. There are non righteous by
the works of the law, because there are none who do those works. We admit that the doers
of the law, if there were any such, are righteous; but since that is a conditional
agreement, all are excluded from life, because no man performs that righteousness which he
ought. We must bear in memory what I have already stated, that to do the law is not to
obey it in part, but to fulfill everything which belongs to righteousness; and all are at
the greatest distance from such perfection.
The law promises life to the righteous.
To the extent we obey the law, we have life.
The law also promises death to the sinner.
To the extent we disobey it, we have death.
We cannot avoid death without God's Mercy.
The Pharisees claimed righteousness, and did not sense their need for God's Mercy.
> Like Fuller, the Teachers
> do think that law promises life.
Life to THEM.
Not to "outsiders."
Not to the non-elite.
Life based on allegiance to human traditions.
> 2. Fuller says that to assume that
law
> brings death you have to assume inability and insert some idea about
> sin.
I don't think this is what Fuller is saying.
> Fuller cannot believe that Paul would
disagree with the Teachers in
> interpreting Lev 18 because then Paul would also be disagreeing with
> Fuller!.
I don't think this is what Fuller is saying.
> The fact that Paul's argument
is not convincing
> to all the Teachers or to Fuller does not prove that Paul is not making
> the argument. The hidden assertion ( sin will always mean that law bring
> death) is defended at length by Paul in Romans 1-3
> with the conclusion: by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be
> justified. Even if the deeds are not ceremonial deeds, even if the deeds
> are motivated by faith (faith in what?), still Paul argues that
> no one will be justified or sanctified by lawkeeping.
If the works are motivated by faith -- faith in a merciful God who sent His Son to be
the savior of the world -- then the worker of such works is justified.
> Of course Fuller does think that both
justification and sanctification
> are conditioned on our faithful lawkeeping. Instead of inserting into
> Galatians 3 some assumption about human inability, he inserts the "new
> perspective". The problem is ceremonial boundary markers, the problem is
> Jewish pride against Gentiles. Get rid of misinterpretations, Fuller
> urges, both Lutheran and legalist. The legalist must learn to give God
> credit for his faithful lawkeeping. The Lutheran must
> learn to stop saying that the law only promises death.
Sounds good to me.
> For those who are
> still anxious about individual salvation, then the law is the gospel.
I don't understand this sentence.
> I of course reject the new gnosis: I
don't think hermeneutical insights
> (about letter and Spirit or even about old and new covenants!) are the
> solution to our plight. The only solution is the death
> of Christ on the cross of he elect. The only difference that ultimately
> matters between anybody is that Christ died for some and not for others.
> Those for whom Christ died will sometime in this life be caused to
> despair about their faith and lawkeeping (past or future), so much so
> that the only comfort they have left is the cross. THE CROSS WAS FOR
> THEM AND NOT FOR THOSE WHO CAN FIND COMFORT SOMEWHERE ELSE BESIDES THE
> CROSS.
Those who commit iniquity have good reason to despair (Mat 7:23).
Those who are willing to lose their life by leaving all behind and following the
direction-giving Torah, will find life and joy. (Mat 16:25)
> Yes, it is true that sinful "man
refused to credit God for any of his
> blessings" (p94, Romans 1),but the solution to that problem is not to
> begin to give God credit for our faithful lawkeeping. None
> of us are faithful lawkeepers.
We should give credit to God for our faithful lawkeeping, and take all the credit for
our unfaithful lawkeeping, resolving to put those deeds to death.
> The solution is the death that the
law
> demands,
Yes, the solution is the Law.
The Law demands death and promises it as well. (Exod 29:11,45 Ex 12:21, 1 Cor 5:7)
> and the elect died when Christ died
(Romans 6). Fuller knows
> that SOME "works of the laws" are sin. Other people's works (like
those
> who didn't believe Jesus in the NT) were not done with the right
> technique, with the right faith. But Fuller is equally convinced that
> some works can be the difference between saved and lost without being
> meritorious or ego-gratifying. What's the difference between him and the
> Teachers? His faith. His works are done in faith; theirs were not.
Romans 9:31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not
attained to the law of righteousness. {32} Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith,
The Pharisees sought to glorify themselves. To truly follow
the law of righteousness is to glorify God, and seek Him
Psalm 40:16 Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love
Your salvation say continually, "The LORD be magnified!"
Psalm 119:2 Blessed are they that keep His testimonies,
and that seek Him with the whole heart.
Psalm 119:155 Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not Thy statutes.
To seek God's Law in faith is to seek God:
Proverbs 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Zephaniah 2:3 Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought His
judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the
LORD'S anger.
To seek God is to understand the Law:
Proverbs 28:5 Evil men do not understand justice, But those who seek the LORD
understand all.
> But is it true that the Teachers who
rejected Jesus did not have faith,
> or that they obeyed without faith? Would they agree with Fuller?
Not that it makes any difference what the self-deceived think.
> Fuller
> made big point about them not agreeing with Paul if Paul had taught that
> law promised death. Would they agree with Fuller that they obeyed
> without faith? Would they not say to Fuller: you have works of faith and
> we have our works of faith, but don't say that we don't have faith.
The question is not what did they think, but what was reality (Mat 7:22-23)
> We are back to my question. Faith in
what?
Faith in a merciful and holy God.
> Fuller thinks the death of
> Christ makes some difference, that it placates the curse of God. Giving
> him the benefit of the doubt, let us assume that Fuller does not teach
> that Christ died for everybody, that he teaches that the cross make some
> real difference for the elect. But Fuller seems to still have faith in
> faith, faith that Christian works of faith also contribute to the
> difference. Jews who work with faith but without faith in Jesus
> cannot please God with their work of faith. But the elect can please God
> with their work of faith.
1 John 3:22 And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments,
and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
Hebrews 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that
which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and
ever. Amen.
Col 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in
every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Phil 4:18 But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the
things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable,
wellpleasing to God.
John 8:29 "And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I
always do those things that please Him."
John 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept
my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
1 John 3:24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him.
Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing
unto the Lord.
Malachi 3:3-4 And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify
the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an
offering in righteousness. {4} Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant
unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years.
Those who lack faith in the merciful and holy God do not please God even if they follow
the Law in one or more (but not all) respects:
Hosea 9:4 Nor shall their sacrifices be pleasing to Him. It shall be like bread of
mourners to them; All who eat it shall be defiled. For their bread shall be for their own
life; It shall not come into the house of the LORD.
Jeremiah 6:20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane
from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet
unto me.
> And don't I agree that God is pleased
with the elect's "work of faith".
> (I Thess 1:3; II Thess 1:11)) Again, faith in what? If people think that
> their work of faith makes any difference to saved
> and lost, then they do not have the right faith and their works of faith
> therefore do not please God. But if the elect repudiate the very idea
> that their works of faith make any difference between
> saved and lost, then God is pleased with such works of faith. I
> therefore agree with Calvin and not Fuller on Galatians 3:12: it clearly
> teaches that the law is antithetical to faith.
Calvin says there is no doubt that we are to do all we can to keep the Law.
> We can put no faith
> in the law, because the law promises only death and not salvation.
The Law promises salvation through the Lamb.
Psalm 119:41 Let Your mercies come also to me, O LORD; Your salvation according to Your
word.
Psalm 119:81 My soul faints for Your salvation, But I hope in Your word.
Psalm 119:123 My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation And Your righteous word.
Psalm 119:155 Salvation is far from the wicked, For they do not seek Your statutes.
Psalm 119:166 LORD, I hope for Your salvation, And I do Your commandments.
Psalm 119:174 I long for Your salvation, O LORD, And Your law is my delight.
> I still haven't answered my question
about the possible Arminianism.
> Perhaps Dr Fuller will continue to write and clarify his position for
> us. When he speaks of "equal aptitude" for works of
> faith, he leaves open the possibility that Jesus died for everybody. I
> quote from p100:" he will justify the circumcised on the ground of their
> faith..." Faith is not the ground of anything. Faith
> has an object. Faith in what? Faith focused on the death of Christ for
> the elect is a result of that death. The death is the ground. Faith in
> faith is not the difference between saved and lost. Again,
> on p 100, Fuller claims that God "will justify all peoples, including th
> Jews, on the basis of their trusting in him." Trusting in Him to do what?
>
> The Jew who does not believe in Jesus THINKS he is trusting God. The
> Arminian (who believes that the death of Jesus is for everybody but that
> many for whom Jesus died are lost) THINKS that he is trusting in God.
> Many will call on the name of the Lord to whom the Lord will say: I
> never knew you.
Because they did not do righteousness, but iniquity, not because they didn't believe
right. They believed they were going to be saved.
> Thus my question for Fuller about
Arminianism. Faith in
> what? means TRUST IN WHOM. Which God? The God of the Jews who have faith
> but not in Jesus? If we try to say that their faith is not real faith,
> where will we stop? Will we say that Romans Catholics doesn't have
> real faith? Will we say that Arminians don't have real faith? Why is the
> work of faith not real if faith is misdirected?
>
> Fuller quotes in disapproval Calvin. Let me give the same quotation with
> approval. (Institutes 2:29): "faith seeks life, a life that is not
> found in the commandments or declarations of the
> penalties, but only in the freely given promise. For a conditional
> promise that send us back to our own works
i.e., apart from God, with a view to our own righteousness, rather than God's
righteousness.
> does not promise life..."
> Fuller seem to think that if the law differs from the gospel,
> that it is opposed to the gospel. Thus Fuller equates law and gospel,
> and makes the gospel to be a law. But all people are required not only
> to obey the law, but also, WHEN ALL
PEOPLE DESERVE TO DIE FOR DISOBEYING
> THE LAW, then all people are required to
believe the gospel, which is
> not about conditions but about the death of Christ for the elect. All
> are commanded to believe that the death saves the elect; the elect will
> believe this.
>
> So it has come to this! I think the gospel is about the cross for the
> elect. Yes. There are many other issues to discuss. For example, I think
> the unconditional covenant with Noah was a redemptive covenant. I also
> think that Fuller makes a distinction between justifying faith and
> sanctifying faith when he finds it convenient (i.e. denying that the
> death of Gal 2:20 is mainly about "initial conversion", p 114) . Like
> Fuller, I also have problems when Calvin says that "law is
> to the flesh like a whip to arouse it to worship" (2;7;12).
>
> Also, I think
we need to think more about the legal aspect of the
> Abrahamic covenant; circumcision was not only about faith in the gospel
> but about conditional blessings of family and
> land (Gen 18:18). Fuller insists: "in order for the Arahamaic covenant
> to be fulfilled, Abraham's posterity must be living, generally speaking
> ,a godly life as did Abraham." I say that it all depends
> on which aspect of the Abrahamic covenant you are talking about. If you
> are talking about the gospel of the death of Abraham's seed (Christ)
> for Abraham's seed (the elect), then godly living
> is not a condition but a consequence of that death. God does not accept
> imperfect "generally speaking" godliness.
Well I think this pretty well sums up the difference between us.
I think the Bible is full of stories of people who were saved because of their imperfect
faith and "generally speaking" Godliness. The difference between someone who
admits he is not God and sincerely seeks God and "generally speaking" obeys Him
(on the one hand) and a Pharisee who is impressed with his own righteousness-by-traditions
(on the other) is light-years. "Help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24) is the ethical and
salvific equivalent of asking God to keep our feet from stumbling as we walk in His paths
(Pr 2:8; 4:12; 10:9; Ps 37:23,24,31; 91:11; 121:3,8; Zec 10:12). God is merciful and saves
those who truly seek Him and follow His Law, even if haltingly at first, but increasing by
His grace. God looks at the heart. (Which is a command for us to
look at the heart, not a statement that God saves based on anything in us).
> God saved the elect in the
> death of His Son. To add godliness as a condition is to set aside the
> death. (Gal 2:21). But there IS a legal aspect to the Abrahamic covenant,
> and Reformed paedobaptists would do well to remember that when they try
> to make circumcision model for new covenant baptism or when they try to
> add a legal aspect (covenantbreaking) to the new covenant.
>
> The solution
what's the problem?
> to the works aspect of the Abrahamic
covenant is not to say
> that the grace is for the nation but that works (of faith) make the
> difference between individuals in the nation. This would
> be an Arminian solution, and would fail to bring glory to God.
This argument sounds logical and holy, but it is not a Scriptural argument. We
don't know exactly what "brings glory to God" except by what God
says brings glory to Him. There's no inherent reason why God cannot be
glorified by giving grace to saints so that they can "merit" salvation. The
question is not logical possibility, but Scriptural
declaration. The Scripture declares that we are obligated to obey God's Law,
and that this obedience pleases God.
> It would
> condition salvation on individual
sinners..The works aspect is not that
> which makes seem individuals saved and others
> lost. The works aspect had to do with the old covenant economy of family
> and land: there is no conditional works aspect to the new covenant.
>
> Let me explain, lest Fuller simply see me as one more
> dispensationalist! The difference between old and new covenants is not
> that people in the old covenants were saved by works. People are not
> ever saved by works of faith. Works of faith result from salvation. But
> Fuller believes that people ARE saved on the ground of works of faith.
> He writes: "the only difference between the new covenant and the old
> Mosaic covenant which it replaces is that the people re given a new
> heart..." Fuller sees the only difference as more ability to do the law,
> and thinks that law is always the gospel. I think that the elect are
> saved in every age ONLY by the blood of Christ. I do not think that the
> blood is the difference between the old and new covenants; the blood was
> for the elect of
> both covenants. I do still think at this point that a difference
> between the covenants is that we no longer work for even the blessings
> of land and family. (I will get called a dualist gnostic for
> suggesting that some blessings are non-salvific, but I am still thinking
> about it...)
You mean we no longer should care about land
and family, or that we do still care but the means
to the end is different?
> But I would urge you at this point
not to get distracted by covenantal
> difference. We all have much to learn. Where I have been (and want to
> be) dogmatic is about law and gospel. I have taken sides with Calvin:
> the gospel is unconditional.
And yet it does not follow from this, that faith is inactive, or that it sets believers
free from good works. For the present question is not, whether believers ought to keep the
law as far as they can, (which is beyond all doubt) . . . .
Calvin on Gal. 3:11-12
> In the interests of further dialogue
with
> Dr. Fuller, let me finish with Fuller's conclusion: "Instead of two sets
> of promises in the Bible -conditional and unconditional-there is only
> one kind of promise throughout Scripture, and the realization of its
> promises is dependent upon compliance with conditions which are well
> characterized as the obedience of faith." (p105)
Sounds OK to me.
Kevin C.
http://members.aol.com/xmaspiracy/3/3_arch.htm
---------------------------------------------
And they shall beat their swords into plowshares
and sit under their Vine & Fig Tree.
Micah 4:1-7
Subj: Re: please quote these for me
Date: 10/22/99
To: Calvinist@no_works.com
In a message dated 10/21/99 2:16:10 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Calvinist@no_works.com
writes:
> the repeated exhortations in the NT to
increase our blessings
> by obedience?
Rev 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to
the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
Rev 22:7 "Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the
prophecy of this book."
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Luke 12:37-38 "Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will
find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to
eat, and will come and serve them. {38} "And if he should come in the second watch,
or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
John 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And
he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to
him."
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My
word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
John 15:10-11 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I
have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. {11} "These things I have
spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
1 Cor 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of
the commandments of God.
Gal 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor
uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
1 John 3:24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this
we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His
commandments are not burdensome.
Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and
keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Rev 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead
which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from
their labours; and their works do follow them.
James 1:25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is
not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
Acts 20:35 "I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must
support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more
blessed to give than to receive.'"
Acts 3:25 "You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with
our fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be
blessed.' {26} "To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to
bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities."
John 13:17 "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Luke 12:43 "Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he
comes.
Luke 11:28 But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of
God and keep it!"
Mat 24:46 "Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so
doing.
1 Timothy 4:8 Godliness is profitable for all things,
having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
Ephesians 6:2-3 "Honor your father and mother," which is the first
commandment with promise: {3} "that it may be well with you and you may live long on
the earth."
1 Tim 6:6 But Godliness with contentment is great gain.
Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm
constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.
These things are good and profitable unto men.
Romans 2:10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew
first, and also to the Gentile:
Plus all references to "good works"
Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and
glorify your Father which is in heaven.
John 10:32-33 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father;
for which of those works do ye stone me? {33} The Jews answered him, saying, For a good
work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest
thyself God.
Acts 9:36 Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by
interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she
did.
Romans 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then
not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always
having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working
with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Colossians 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful
in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
2 Thessalonians 2:17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.
1 Timothy 2:10 But (which becometh women professing Godliness) with good works.
1 Timothy 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he
desireth a good work.
1 Timothy 5:10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she
have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the
afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.
1 Timothy 5:25 Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they
that are otherwise cannot be hid.
1 Timothy 6:18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute,
willing to communicate;
2 Timothy 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto
honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
2 Timothy 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good
works.
Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being
abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Titus 2:7 In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing
uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,
Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and
purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Titus 3:1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey
magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm
constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.
These things are good and profitable unto men.
Titus 3:14 And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they
be not unfruitful.
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Hebrews 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that
which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and
ever. Amen.
James 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him show out of a
good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
1 Peter 2:12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they
speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold,
glorify God in the day of visitation.
Kevin C.
http://members.aol.com/xmaspiracy/3/3_arch.htm
---------------------------------------------
And they shall beat their swords into plowshares
and sit under their Vine & Fig Tree.
Micah 4:1-7
Subj: Re: do you or do you not make any difference
with your doing?
Date: 10/22/99
To: Calvinist@no_works.com
Yes it makes a difference.
No, all the credit for my salvation goes to Christ.
I really don't see the problem here.
In a message dated 10/11/99 10:31:44 AM Pacific Daylight Time, Calvinist@no_works.com
writes:
> I deny that a person can be a
Christian and not pursue peace and holiness
You don't deny this?
You contend that a Christian can NEVER get into fights and be unholy.
Or by "pursue" do you mean that a Christian must be committed to peace and
holiness, even if he stumbles?
Aren't we now saying the same thing?
> I deny also that this pursuit is the
basis of ANY assurance
A person who does not pursue or is not committed to peace and holiness
has some basis for assurance?????????
> it is always an imperfect
pursuit
My answer is the Westminster Confession
on assurance.
Imperfect assurance, if sincere, will lead to perfect assurance.
These good works, done in obedience to God's commandments, are the fruits and
evidences of a true and lively faith: and by them believers . . . strengthen their
assurance
2 Peter 1:5-10 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith
virtue, to virtue knowledge, {6} to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance,
to perseverance Godliness, {7} to Godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness
love. {8} For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. {9} For he who lacks these things is
shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.
{10} Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for
if you do these things you will never stumble;
1 John 2:3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
*1 John 2:5 But
whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we
are in Him.
WCF 16:2
Mark 9:24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord,
I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
Luke 17:5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.
Imperfect faith is better than no faith at all.
Imperfect faith brings more assurance than no faith at all.
Kevin C.
http://members.aol.com/VFTINC/theonomy/worshlaw.htm
---------------------------------------------
And they shall beat their swords into plowshares
and sit under their Vine & Fig Tree.
Micah 4:1-7
What Would You Say to America?
Imagine this scenario: Republicans are rejoicing, because an inconsistent
socialist (rather than a consistent socialist) has been elected President, and the new
President has offered to give you 30 seconds of free air time on all the major networks to
say anything you want to say to America. What will you say to the nation?
Justification by Faith?
|
- OR -
|
Justification by Allegiance
|
| "Good Evening, my fellow Americans. I would like to take this
opportunity to tell you that if you believe in your heart that Christ died for you, you
will be saved. We are not under law, we are under grace. Your good works count for nothing
in God's eyes. Just believe that Christ died for you and your sins will be forgiven." |
"Good Evening, my fellow Americans. I would like to take this
opportunity to tell you that God is holy and righteous, and is outraged at how we have
thumbed our nose at Him and His Commandments. But God is also merciful, and if we are
willing lose our lives and give our complete allegiance to Him -- mind, soul, and strength
-- willing to obey His every Word, He will heal our land." |
How is the faithful city become an harlot!
it was full of judgment;
righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.
Isaiah 1:21
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